Light-filter



B. IRWIN.

LIGHT FILTER.

APPLICATIONIILED AuG.22. 1918.

Patented Sept. 7, 1920.

v gnvewfoz BEATRICE mwImoF new YORK, N. Y.

LIGHT-FILTER.

Application fi led August 22, 1918, Serial No. 250,920. 7

To all whom it may concern V 3e it known that I, Bnarnron' IRWIN, a subject oi. the King of England, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Light-Filters, of which the following'is a specification. V

My invention relates to improvements in' light filters or screens or shades. The main object of the inventlon is to provlde an arrangement of this class wlnchas-not. only easily and cheaply manufactured and which has artistic and healthful merit but also one which will give substantial and long service in spite of its cheapness. Furthermore filters or shades made in accordance with myfinvention lend themselves a'dniirablyto various color schemes and especially for hand coloring in accordance with individual requirements and tastes.

In carrying out my invention, I construct the body portion of the filter or shade of paper, and while the paper should be rela-v tively stiff it should also have sufiicient trans lucency to permit light to pas'stherethrough for lighting purposes.

I am aware that many forms of socalled Chinese and Japanese lanterns made of paper and also crape paper shades have long been in use, but so far as I am aware none In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a lightfilter embodying my; improve ments in one form, and Fig; 2'is a plan view thereof. v j

Referring to thedrawings, 1 represents the base of the filter support and 2, 2 uprights carrying a cross piece 3 from which the filterproper 4 is suppo'rte'd'by a cord 5 hung over a pin Gin-the top of the cross piece 3.. In the form shownthe filter portion 4' is composed of a sheet of paper formed into cylindrical shape, the two meeting edges being securedtogether in any suit- Specification (if lletterslatent- P t nt t, 7, 1 2

' able manner asby'small bolts. I A source'o'f light comprising an incandescent electric light bulb is shown atS within the cylindrical filter 4, the same being supported by the usual cord 9 which passes through a hole the cross piece 3, down through a hole in one of'the uprights 2 and through a hole in the base portion .1 to' the screw plug10of any suitablevariety. However, any other suitable source of light-may be employed.

It will be noted, however, that the filter i is shaped to screen the most of the light rays from the source of light within 'it, that is,

the most of the light rays which a're useful for lighting purposes. Theapparatus may be placed on'a" table, bracket, stand or in any suitable place. v f The paper fromrwhich the filter .4; is made must carefully chosen and I preferably usea paper having .a s'tififness like thatfo f "WhatlnansRoyal having a weightof approximately 44 pounds. per ream of sheets sizei19 inches by 24: inches. However, under some circumstances, and especially in. ,very

small filters; a thinner paper may be used such as that having a stiffness like that oi":

\Vhatrnans Demy having 'a'weightfof ap Y proximately 25 pounds per ream of size 15. inches-by 2O inches. Also in cases" where more'rigidityis desired and it is not imj portant that a large percentage of the light be transmitted, a heavier and stiffer pa may beused, such has that having a stiffness and translucency of Whatmans .Imp'erial having a weight of approximately 72 pounds per ream of size 22 inches by '30 inches.

has a sufficient thickness and stiffness to retain the shape and form of the filter funaided, that is, when supported in place it 7 *lowevcr, I preferably select a 'paper which requires substantially no reinforcing ribs or other means to ma nta n its shape such as has been customarily used in the so-called Chinese and Japanese lanterns and crime paper shades above mentioned.

1'00 Also,

preferably select a paper having a trans lucency of about 25% or more, that is'to say one which does not reduce the lighting-power of the source of light by more thauabout three quarters, or which does not-prevent the passage therethrough [of more than about three quarters of the light rays .from

the source' Generally, however,- I use a paper which permits thepassage of a much larger percentage of the-light rays as for example a'paper having 50% translucency.

By using paper of the kind described I find that While it is sufiiciently translucent to.-

permit enough light to pass therethrough for lighting purposes, nevertheless it sub--. stantially completely screens the source "of light Within it, that is, the actual source of.

light and its outline is not visible through V the filter but the filter itself by reason of the rays coming therethrough is made to appear as the source of light, whereby the light does not appear to come from a highly, lumi-' light. V

The paper from which the filter is made is preferably hite and of a texture totake coloring matter such as Water colorsfaniline dyes and the like; Filters so constructed .I V find are admirable for carrylng out various color schemes by having such coloring matter of various colors or shades applled thereto as illustrated in Fig. 1. The coloring may be done by hand tosuit particular requirements andiftastes and in accordance with color science to produce curative or other desirable effects on the human system. The coloring matter, I preferably apply v with ajbrush and on the outside of the filter ife. on the opposite side thereof from the source of light. After the coloring matter' has been applied I preferably harden 'it or fix or set the color in the paper applyingthereto a 10% solution of tannic acid as with a brush. Any other suitable fixing treatment may be employed however, I prefcrably color thefilters without definite'con- V figuration,-1' .e. Without picturingor definite forms, but rather With more or'less cloud QfliGCtJVltl] the different colors or shades running into one another or gradually merging into one another, and combining stimulant, sedative and recuperative color values or any tWo of them, as illustrated in Fig. 1, as

I findlthat such arrangement is generally more advantageous anddesirable.

If the filters'are to be used under condi- I tions Where theylare likely to become Wet, I

preferably apply a Waterproofing treatment thereto to make them more water-resistant. For this purpose I prepare a solution of 5 'ouncesof bleached shellac andv '1 ounce of borax, dissolved in one pint of water, and

brush a layer of this solution onto the surfaces of the filter to be protected.

However, the paper I find it mosteffective to treat the paper With the solu'- .tion on the side thereof nearest the source of It has heretofore been suggested that a corrugated. paper be used for a light filter or shade in order to give it sufficient stiffness and for other purposes. But corrugatedpaper largely destroys the desired effect so I use a non-corrugated paper and use apaper of definite stiffness to avoid the necessity of corrugations for the purpose of stiffening it and with the coloring matter on it the non-corrugated filter produces an entirely dii'l'erenteffect from'that produced by a corrugated paper filter With the similar coloring matter on it. The coloring matter of various "shades or colors preferablyrun harmoniously into one another as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the light filtering through the variously colored portions, the

colored portions being translucent and the y coloring matter being insufiicient to decrease the light coming through the filter to render t ineffective for lighting purposes.

'It Will be understood, of cour'se,that the i invention is not limited to any particular shape or size of filter, since they may be made ina great variety of shapes and sizes, to suit various situations and conditions. Alsoany means for securing them in place, and'any suitable source of light may be used.

Many other changes and modifications may be made and the invention embodied in Widely" differing forms, and consequently, 'WhllG I have described one embodiment of my invention and ingreat'detail, I do not desire to be limited to'such details but desire to cover all forms having the combination of features set forth in any one or moreof the" appended claims or'their equivalents. WVhat I claim is:

. 1. A light filter composed of paper, and

adapted to screen the light rays from'a source of light, the paper having such a thickness and translucency that it renders the source of light substantially invisible therethrough, While permitting, suflicient light rays to pass therethrough for lighting purposes andj makecthe broad surface of the paper filter appear asthe source of light, the paper having coloring matter of arious shades orcolors thereon with the colors or shades gradually merging or running into one another to cause the light coming from thefilter to be variously colored, the coloring matter being insufficient to decrease the light commg through the filter to render it ineffec tive' for lighting purposes.

'2. A light'filter composed of paper and shaped to screen the light rays. from a source ofv light, the paper having such a thickness and translucency that it renders the source of light substantially invisible therethrough,

While permitting sufficient light rays topas s therethrough for lighting purposes make the broad surface of the paper filter W appear as thesource of light,the paper havingcoloring matter of various shades or colors thereon forming a combination of stimulant, sedative and recuperative color Values or any two of them, with the colors or shades gradually merging or running into one another to cause the light coming from the filter to be variously colored, the coloring matter being insufficient to decrease the light coming through the filter to render it inefl'ective for lighting purposes.

3. A light filter composed of paper and ors thereon with the colors or shades gradually merging or running into one another to cause the light coming from the filter to be variously colored, the coloring matter being insufficient to decrease the light coming through the filter to render it inefiective for lighting purposes.

4. A light filter composed of paper and I shaped to screenthelight rays from a source-,

of light Within it, the paper being substantially plane as distinguished from corrugated and having such a thickness and translucency that it renders the source of lightv Within substantiallyinvisible therethrough,

fwhile permitting suflicient light rays to pass therethrough for lighting purposes and make the broad surface of the paper filter appear as the source of light, the paper having coloring matter of various shades or colors thereon on the opposite side thereof from the source of light, whereby the light appears to radiate from the coloring matter with the colors or shades gradually merging or running into one another to cause the light coming from the filter to be variously col-' ored, the coloring matter being insufiicient to decrease the light coming through the filter to render it ineliective for lighting purposes.

Signed. at Watkins, in the county of Schuyler andStateof New York, this 20th day of August, A. D. 1918.

BEATRICE IRWIN.

WVitnesses:

MARY L. PERKINS, ELIAS 1-1. .BISSELL. 

